Goa Shipyard launches Srishti, a next-generation offshore patrol vessel for India's navy

Goa Shipyard Limited, a defence public sector undertaking under India's Ministry of Defence, launched a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel named Srishti for the Indian Navy on Tuesday, 27 October. The ship, built as Yard 1283, was put into the water at a ceremony at the company's facility in Vaddem, Goa.

Sandeepa Sahay performed the launch. Vishvajit Sahay, the ministry's Secretary for Defence Finance, attended as chief guest, along with senior officers of the Indian Navy and officials from the ministry and the shipyard, according to reports carried by Defence Watch and the ANI news agency.

A launch is a construction milestone rather than a handover. Defence Watch noted that the vessel still has to go through further outfitting and trials before it can enter operational service with the navy.

What the ships are for

The reports describe the offshore patrol vessels as platforms for maritime surveillance, protection of offshore assets such as energy installations, and the wider safeguarding of India's maritime interests. Defence Watch added that ships of this type also support anti-piracy patrols, search and rescue and humanitarian assistance.

Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, the shipyard's chairman and managing director, told the gathering that the yard was committed to delivering quality naval platforms that meet the navy's operational needs, ANI reported. The company presented the launch as evidence of improved production capacity and project execution on complex warships.

The shipyard and the government tie the programme to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India policies, which aim to build up domestic defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. PSU Connect, which covers state-owned companies, reported that the yard expects the ship to strengthen the navy's maritime surveillance capability.

An 11-ship programme split between two yards

The Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel programme covers 11 ships under a contract worth 9,781 crore rupees, signed in March 2023 between the Ministry of Defence, Goa Shipyard and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers of Kolkata. Goa Shipyard is building seven of the ships and the Kolkata yard four, Swarajya reported when the first of the class, Shachi, was launched in Goa on 31 March this year. At that time, deliveries were scheduled to begin from September 2026.

Garden Reach launched its own ships in the class, Sanghmitra on 20 May and Shruti on 11 August, according to the Times of India. That report put the ships at about 113 metres long and 14.6 metres wide, with a displacement of about 3,000 tonnes, a top speed of up to 23 knots and an endurance of 8,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots.

The new ships are substantially larger than the earlier Sukanya-class and Saryu-class offshore patrol vessels in Indian service, the head of Garden Reach said at the Shruti launch, with longer endurance and a heavier weapon fit. Swarajya reported in March that the class would carry a Super Rapid Gun Mount and AK-630 close-in guns with fire-control radar, and has a deck for helicopters of up to 15 tonnes.

Why it matters

Offshore patrol vessels do much of the routine presence and surveillance work that frees larger frontline warships for combat roles. With the two yards now launching hulls in steady succession, the pace at which the ships complete trials and actually join the fleet will decide how quickly the navy can expand its patrol coverage across the Indian Ocean.